England seniors bag bronze medals at Euro champs

England’s senior men and women both bagged bronze medals at the European team championships.

The men, playing at the Diners Club, in Slovenia, beat Italy 3-2 while the women, at Sierra GC in Poland, saw off Sweden 3.5-1.5.

England men’s captain Roy Smethurst said: “The team has done very well. Last year we were fifth, this year we’re third – next year, hopefully, we’ll be first!”

Yorkshire’s Stephen East (Moortown) put the team on the route to glory when he polished off his singles 7&6, playing the 12 holes in five-under par.

David Niven (Newbury & Crookham) then powered to his first singles win of the week, defeating his opponent 6&4, while Alan Mew (Stoneham) sealed the win with a super chip on the 15th to sign off 4&3.

The men had qualified in third place for the matchplay stages of the championship and defeated Spain in the quarter finals.

But their hopes of winning the gold medal were dashed when they lost to the eventual champions, Scotland, in the semi-final.

The women were top seeds in their championship and defeated the Netherlands in the quarter-finals before they, too, were beaten in the semis, losing to Belgium.

The bronze medal play-off pitted them against Sweden and the match started with a tight foursomes, but Leicestershire’s Helen Lowe (Scraptoft) and Yorkshire’s Karen Jobbing (Richmond) played par golf to win 3 & 2 and set England on the path to the medal.

In the singles, English senior amateur champion Cath Rawthore (Sale) went two down early but played steady golf to go on to win 3&2.

English senior stroke play champion Jackie Foster was all square after 13. But she won her match at the 17th, securing the bronze medal.

British senior champion Julie Brown was two up playing the 17th but her match was declared a half as England had done enough to claim glory.

Team captain Pat Wrightson added: “The standard of golf has increased significantly this year and the all the matches in Flight One have been a challenge.

“The England players ‘dug deep’ to pull out their best golf to win the bronze medal after the disappointment of losing in the semi-final.”